Mom, beau plead not guilty in alcohol-in-IV death

Melissa Robitille is seen in a booking photo provided by the Vermont State Police. The authorities allege Robitille and her boyfriend, Walter Richter III, put alcohol in her disabled son’s IV tube, killing the 13-year-old boy.
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Courtesy
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ST. JOHNSBURY – A man told police he poured vodka into the IV feeding tube of his girlfriend's disabled 13-year-old son to settle him down, a dose of alcohol that contributed to his death, according to court documents released Wednesday.

Walter Richters and Melissa Robitille, both 38, were charged with second-degree murder in the Aug. 22 death of Isaac Robitille. They entered not-guilty pleas at their arraignment Wednesday afternoon in Caledonia County and were ordered held without bail. Neither spoke.

"There is great evidence of guilt," said Maria Byford, deputy state's attorney.

Police say Isaac was born with significant medical conditions and disabilities that required the assistance of caretakers up to 80 hours a week. Intravenous and feeding tubes supplied him with a strict diet of a pediatric nutritional drink, baby formula, water and vitamins. Court records show that Robitille told police that an insurance foul-up meant she was paying $800 a month for the formulas.

Isaac's health conditions included a brain abnormality listed as the cause of death with the alcohol listed as a contributing factor. An autopsy showed his blood alcohol content was 0.146 percent, about twice the legal limit for adult drivers.

"I feel for her, whatever it was that happened," said Aisha Cameron, who befriended Robitille in a writer's group. She said she hadn't been in touch with Robitille in at least a year but never saw anything but love for Isaac when she visited before.

"They had a profound connection," Cameron said.

After the autopsy results, police interviewed Richters and Robitille. Richters, 38, told police that he drank a fifth of vodka and played video games. He said he had asked Robitille if he could give Isaac a little vodka "as he was acting fussy" and she answered that it wouldn't hurt. He said he poured into the IV bag for about two seconds. Richters said he then passed out in a chair and when he woke up the next morning, Robitille had already found Isaac dead.

During the interview Tuesday, Richters said he and the boy had bonded when the boy hugged him during a nap.

Robitille told police that she had drunk three or four beers the same night and initially said she gave Isaac about three teaspoons of vodka. She later changed her story to agree with Richters' version of events. She plugged in a baby monitor because she was worried about the vodka, court records show.

When police asked what she would say if Isaac were in the room with her, she said: "I'm sorry baby," according to court records.

Robitille and Richters are both being held at the Northeast Regional Correctional Facility in St. Johnsbury. If convicted, the couple could face a sentence of 20 years to life.

On her website, Robitille describes herself as a clothing and jewelry designer, interior decorator, dog breeder and writer who has self-published two paranormal romance novels. Her husband, Dana Robitille, died in January at 65.

In December 2005, Melissa Robitille and Isaac, who had just turned 5, appeared on WCAX-TV to talk about the special gift he was receiving from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a puppy named Tickle.

"Isaac's going to meet so many therapy goals just chasing Tickle around and reaching out because he needs to learn how to reach out and feel the world, because he's afraid of things that could hurt him, because he can't see them," she said. "And then later on, Tickle will learn to be an assistance dog."

Leslie Williams, CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Vermont, said the organization hadn't had contact with the family since then.

"Make-A-Wish is always very sad when one of our wish kids passes away and we offer our condolences to Isaac's extended family and friends," she said.